Kids Fall Short of Exercise Guidelines

Young people aren’t active enough, says a study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Researchers analyzed self-reported fitness data on more than 770 children ages 12 to 15, pulling from two large U.S. surveys conducted in 2012. Only about 1 in 4 met federal guidelines recommending at least an hour of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily. Exercise counted as anything outside of school gym class and included activities such as running, walking, dancing, and sports. A more positive finding: Over half of all boys and nearly half of the girls surveyed reported doing at least an hour of moderate to vigorous exercise at least five days each week.Source:NCHS Data Brief, January 2014